Hyderabad: West Bengal is gearing up for the second phase of Assembly polls in 30 constituencies on April 1.
A high-stakes battle will be witnessed in Nandigram, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will face off against her former ministerial colleague Suvendu Adhikari on 1 April.
Voting would take place at 8,332 polling stations in 30 Assembly constituencies in the second phase in four districts across the state.
On Thursday the voters will decide the fate of 171 candidates from more than 9 national and state parties.
The Bankura constituency has the maximum number of candidates (11) while the Keshpur and Indus Constituency have a minimum number of candidates (3).
Six (20%) out of 30 constituencies have been declared as Red alert constituencies wherein three or more contesting candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves.
A total of 19 (11%) female candidates are contesting in the second phase.
Out of 171 candidates in the second phase, 43 (25%) candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves while 36 (21%) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves.
Among the major parties, 17(57%) out of 30 candidates analysed from BJP, 8(27%) out of 30 candidates from AITC, 3 (11%) out of 28 candidates from SUCI(C), 7 (47%) out of 15 candidates from CPI(M), 2 (22%) out of 9 candidates from INC, 2 (29%) out of 7 candidates from BSP and 1 (50%) out of 2 candidates analysed from CPI have declared criminal cases against themselves.
Among 30 constituencies, Nandigram is of the highest importance, as it will not only witness a high-profile contest between Mamata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari, the constituency is a key player in the victory of the Trinamool Congress' (TMC) in the 2011 Assembly elections.
Suvendu Adhikari played a key role in the TMC's 2007 anti-land acquisition protest in Nandigram as the ground-level strategist, propelling Mamata Banerjee's party to hand over a humiliating defeat to the Left government that ruled the state for 34 years.
